Ottolenghi’s fried apple dumplings with coconut caramel are an absolute treat. I discovered the recipe in his weekly Guardian column and thought I would give it a go.
It calls for tinned apples which I’ve never used to to cook before but will definitely be getting creative with from now on.
I like the tropical spin on Ottolenghi’s dumplings. They are like little crispy coconut laced apple pies. The apple is cooked and infused with dark brown sugar, rum, vanilla, lime leaf and a little flaked sea salt and then fried in coconut oil – so good! You can see how I make them here on my Instagram highlights.
If you want a change from vegetable or chicken gyoza then this is a great way to go. Don’t forget to make that gorgeous coconut caramel to dip those dumplings in.
Makes 20
Prep 10 mins
Cook 35 mins
Total 45 mins
Ingredients
1x 385g tin sliced apples, drained (reserve the liquid) and roughly chopped into 1cm pieces
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 fresh or dry makrut lime leaf, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
45g dark muscovado sugar
2 tbsp dark rum
Flaked salt
20 gyoza wrappers (defrosted, if frozen)
150ml coconut oil
Method
Put the apples and their reserved juices in a small saute pan with the cinnamon, lime leaf, vanilla, sugar, rum and half a teaspoon of flaked salt, then set it over a medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, put the coconut milk, sugar, lime leaf and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat, and cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until you have a smooth, dark brown caramel the consistency of single cream.
Keeping the gyoza wrappers under a damp cloth and working with them one at a time, moisten the edge of a gyoza wrapper with a little water and put a tablespoon of the cooled filling in the middle. Fold into a half-moon and firmly press the edges together. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filing.
Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, then fry the dumplings for a minute or two on each side, spooning the hot oil over them to ensure they colour evenly. When the dumplings are crisp and golden brown all over, drain on a plate lined with kitchen towel. Serve hot, sprinkled with flaked salt and with the warmed caramel alongside.
